American snow bike racer Ronnie Renner will represent Team Polaris during the Winter X Games snow bike races. Courtesy Polaris.

Polaris Industries has unveiled its team of snow bike riders for the upcoming Winter X Games Aspen and announced a new contingency program for racers who ride its Timbersled snow bike system in pro competitions.
According to a Dec. 8 press release, Americans Ronnie Renner and Axell Hodges, Canadians Reagan Sieg and Brock Hoyer, and Australian Jackson Strong will represent Polaris at the games, which will be held Jan. 26-29.
The Polaris-sponsored riders represent five of the six athletes invited in November by the ESPN-produced games to compete in the new “Snowbike Bikecross” event. The other invited rider is Australian Robbie Maddison, who rides a set-up built by YETI SnowMX.
In the December release, Polaris also said it’s offering a cash contingency program, with bonuses ranging from $10,000 for any rider who wins the X Games riding one of its Timbersled system snow bikes down to $100 for winning smaller regional competitions aboard the company’s product. For more, visit cdn.polaris.com.
Chris Wolf, vice president of the Polaris Snow Division, said the sponsorships and contingency program are the company’s way of continuing to support the fledging sport, in which dirt bikes modified with skis and tracks race on snow.
“Ever since Timbersled created the original modern snow bike architecture, we have worked hard to find new ways to promote and grow the sport. Our A-List roster of athletes and unpreedented contingency program is the next step in that progression,” Wolf said. “Seeing snow biking go from being a very niche interest to being center stage at the Winter X Games shows the increased interest and popularity of the sport.”
This year marks the first time the X Games will feature snow bikes in its line-up.